A week-long orientation in Florence precedes each semester of the Wells College Study Abroad Program and introduces you to Italian language and culture as well as giving you an opportunity to meet fellow program participants.

Through meetings, lectures on different aspects of Italian culture, art walks, guided tours and excursions, students gain a better understanding and appreciation of the rich cultural heritage of Italy.

Wells College staff from the US and Florence will be with you throughout orientation to provide an overview of what it is like to live in Italy on a daily basis. In addition to receiving information about health and safety in Florence, our experienced Florence-based staff will show you around Florence.

You will also spend two days touring Tuscany, visiting small towns where movies like Under the Tuscan Sun and Beautiful Life were filmed. This will introduce you to the region and help put Florence into the context of Tuscany.

In addition to orientation in Florence and Tuscany, there will be a weekend cultural excursion to Venice. As an important city-state and a cultural treasure, guided tours of Venice will provide program participants with an important perspective on a different region of Italy.

A particular highlight of the Fall Semester is visiting the food market and buying the ingredients for a traditional Tuscan meal which you will learn how to cook with our staff. What better way to introduce you to Tuscany and its history then through food?

Besides the weekend excursions, day-trips and activities to festivals, soccer matches, and important historical sites are part of each semester's program.

You can contact Amy Torea, Wells College Florence Program Coordinator, at florence@wells.edu or call 315-364-3291 for more information.

“Studying abroad has given me a newfound appreciation for different cultures and countries. I feel more experienced for my time spent abroad. I know that if I can handle anything a completely different country could throw at me, I can definitely handle anything at home, too. ” —Past Participant